Full Time, All the Time
with Britt and Robyn
I'm Britt. I work full time as a mom, wife, blogger and salesperson with a fancy management title. And I'm Robyn. I work as a project manager and between corporate meetings manage to cook a home-made meal every day. This blog is about our experiences of juggling full-time work with family.
Check out our personal blogs:
Miss Britt and Who's the Boss?
I’ve spent most of my work life in commission based jobs. A raise meant selling more stuff than before and, therefore, earning more commission. How much money I made has always been directly tied to how well I did my job in a measurable, tangible way.
I’m goal oriented and a hell of a salesperson, so this model has always suited me well. It has not, however, prepared me for the world of salary negotiations and discussions about raises.
In my current job, I earn a base salary combined with a commission bonus. It’s the first time in my life I’ve had a guaranteed income. It’s also the first time anyone has offered me a raise.
Last week, I turned down a raise.
I’m in a position where I am intimately familiar with the corporate balance sheets and other people’s salaries. While my family could definitely use the extra money, I didn’t feel like what was being offered to me was in the best interest of the company. I also believed there were other employees that deserved that extra salary more than I did.
It’s not the first time I’ve turned down income.
I have, in the past, voluntarily lowered my rate as a writer. Doing so meant helping to sustain the viability of the company that I was writing for. In my mind, I took a short term cut in order to secure the long term stability of that income source.
I’m pretty sure Suze Orman would say I was crazy.
And maybe she’s right. I wonder if I have inadvertently devalued my work and contributions. I worry that I’ve sent the message that I’m worth less than my peers, or that I’m not giving 100%. That certainly wasn’t my intention, and I hate to think I’ve bought into the idea that I have to “be a nice girl”. (My husband, by the way, would die laughing at that notion.)
My goal in both of these instances was to do what was best for the group, assuming that, in the end, that would benefit me as a member of said group.
Am I a big picture thinker?
Or hopelessly naive?
Would you ever turn down a raise for the good of the company or fellow employees?
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I think that it shows integrity. It doesn’t make you naive in the slightest.
Avitable | October 21st, 2009 at 7:49 am
It depends on the company. If it is a small company and you really have an input and maybe a hope of being a partner if it does well, then it makes a lot of sense. Also, if the raise would have meant sacrificing anything you aren’t willing to sacrifice - including fairness to other employees. Or if you were the head of a department and the person actually making the decisions about other people’s raises.
However, I believe that in most companies, this will just be seen as a message that they can give you less consideration than everyone else. Yes, that you’re the resident doormat. I’m sorry to put it that way. But I speak from a lot of experience. Not only will such a company never offer you that kind of raise again (unless you loudly demand it), but they will also take other liberties with you. They may think you are a very nice person, but that won’t stop them from treating you unfairly. And the chances that you’ll ever have a colleage who will give up his/her raise because you deserve it more? Pretty close to nil.
I am not sure how you determined that your colleagues deserved the money more than you did. But if it was based on their great performance, you could have said, “yes, I deserve this raise (thank you!), and ___ deserves an even bigger raise.” Let them figure out whether they can afford it, etc. But that kind of discussion is best had prior to actual raise announcements, since it is always easier to give than to take away.
If your kind-hearted action was based on colleagues “needing the money more than you,” then I can only sigh. This reflects questionable business judgment. The company needs employees who work hard enough to generate more income for all. If someone isn’t working hard enough to deserve more pay on the merits, it is bad for everyone - that person included - to give him a disproportionate salary. I don’t care if he has 15 kids. Would that person work harder and donate his raise to you if you had 15 kids? Merit pay works for the best of all parties. You can always donate the extra money to a good cause if you don’t need it.
When you were a tween, did you ever reply to a compliment with a self-critical comment? And did your mom tell you that regardless of whether you agree with it, you ALWAYS respond to a compliment with “thank you”? Well, a raise is a compliment, and you need to say “thank you,” unless a purely business analysis tells you that it’s better for YOU and others in the long run to say “thanks so much, but may I make a counter-proposal that might be more win-win?”
SKL | October 21st, 2009 at 8:24 am
It was DEFINITELY not an issue of the person “needing it” more than I do.
Especially since I’m the only employee with children.
Miss Britt | October 21st, 2009 at 8:26 am
In circumstances like yours, there’s an excellent chance I would do the same. In a large company, hell no. The reason? Because where you are now, what you did will be seen for what it is. And because there you are highly valued as a person and employee. In large corporations, no one cares. Sad, but true.
I could use a raise. I haven’t had one (except for cost-of-living increases that everyone gets) since I started at my job in 2003. I’ve revamped my job and actually made the newsletter I produce better while it costs less to print than when I started. I deserve the raise, but am hesitant to ask for it because the guys we negotiate contracts for are having trouble getting the raises they deserve because of budget cuts. Am I stupid? Maybe.
Finn | October 21st, 2009 at 8:32 am
I completely agree with what SKL said.
Phe | October 21st, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I understand the concept of lowering rates to ensure a company lives to hire you again, that’s a smart business move and one that many companies do in different ways (taking a small project you wouldn’t normally do to get a foot in the door, management forgoing bonuses to give them to the employees).
But I wouldn’t turn one down as a matter of course, and certainly not in a large corporate setting.
I HAVE turned down a raise that came contingent with a promotion to an area I didn’t want to work in. But I consider that turning down the promotion rather than the raise itself. I tossed for nights over that one but since the entire team I would have been a part of is now spending 3 days a week in one city and 2 in another I KNOW I made the right decision for my family in not taking it.
Mich | October 21st, 2009 at 12:54 pm
All I can say is that YOU are exactly the person I would want working for me…not many people have the desire to do things for the good of the team these days.
Pgoodness | October 21st, 2009 at 8:25 pm
Honestly, this is how I would feel about it. If my company were offering me a raise and I had earned it, then I’d accept it. I’d assume that there was enough money for me to be offered that raise in the first place. And I don’t generally think altruistically about raises…whether someone else deserves the raise I’m getting more than I do. The only time I’d think about that would be if I’d been doing a lousy job.
So I would have accepted the raise.
Kathryn | October 21st, 2009 at 8:40 pm
So much to say. First, Yes I would turn down a raise, if I felt I had a vested interest in the company and valued my continued employment(wich I do). Second, If an employee felt compelled to better said company by turning down a raise in lieu of continued employment wich equals bettermant of said company, said employee just became invaluable (note: Not less valuable) (Suze Orman can kiss my ass, which I have on good authority that she might actually enjoy) In business being realistic about your limitations can be a key to success. I realize that where I work is uable to susatin growth/cost of living increases at the rate the we employees would like to receive, so the bottom line for me as a manager is to preserve the profitability, at what ever cost…small businesses need to stay in business.
A Vapid Blonde | October 21st, 2009 at 9:04 pm
I wouldn’t turn down a raise because I think it would show lack of faith in my manager. They obviously think it is for the good of the company, so why should I question. Also - I love money.
Suebob | October 21st, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Um, no.
Unless the raise was in lieu of something else, such as a promotion I believed I earned. I did once turn down a raise meant to keep me in a position I had announced I was leaving, because I was l leaving because I was doing 2 people’s jobs and that wasn’t going to change.
But if I intended to stay, I’d take the money.
lynn @ human, being | October 21st, 2009 at 10:57 pm